Chapter 27: A Spiteful Oath

From her half crippled body leaning over, Maira looked up to see Dolkka's blow coming for her. '...What good are ideals... or even my dreams now? I have lost.. not just this duel.. but my pride,... my hopes,... even the respect I've fought so hard for... I've lost everything."

"Maira! Maira!" Kageru called out in desperation. The flames roared wildly around match area as Dolkka's attack made impact. He froze in horror, staring at Maira's defeated state as the flames subsided.

Maira's vision distorted and everything around her began to move slower by the second. As her body began to fall, she took one final look back at Kageru, revealing a single tear falling from her eyes as she fell backwards. In spite of all the agonizing pain, she did not mutter a word, nor a groan, or scream. Her body fell hard to the ground as her DT Disk steamed and shut itself down. Just before her eyes closed she looked straight towards her friend and whispered "(...I...I'm sorry... I couldn't avenge... you... or your sister..)".

She dropped down into the ground below, her hair flowing around her fainted state.

"(She...lost...)"

" Well... That was quite entertaining at the least."
Albus turned off his disk and walked back, leaving Maira sulking on the ground.

" It looks like our work here is done..."

Kageru stayed silent and continually staring at Maira, unable to grasp the horrible scene before him.

"Kageru!"

A voice yelled from behind. It was Kyoko, alongside Tetsu, Gai, Riski, Kell, and Sugar.

Sugar was holding Riski's hand as Kell looked shocked at the scene.

"W-what.. what happened?!" he called out, bewildered and worried.

"..M..Ma...Maira? MAIRA!" Sugar, crying now, ran toward her sister's fallen body, weakly still breathing. "Maira! Wake up! Maira?! What's wrong with her? what's happened? Maira!...please, open your eyes... maira..." she started crying heavily by her side.

"Kageru... did she... duel Aria..?" Riski asked, horrified. "That idiot... that foolish, dumb little..." she began to cry, shaking her fist and looking away.

"It's your fault.. isn't it, Kageru!?" Kell ran up to Kageru and picked him up with both hands on his shirt collar. "If you hadn't gotten so darn mad, none of this would of happened! she was probably fighting for you , you... you jerk!" Kell put him down and started to tear up too. "He told me to watch them... his sisters... and I.. I.." he started to mutter as he stumbled away from kageru, remembering the promise he made to Maira's and Sugar's deceased brother

" Son! Please answer! Explain this! What happened!? Kageru?..."

Kageru couldn't speak to neither person. His eyes were still white and lifeless.

" Hello... Mrs. Hinodama." Albus greeted.

"... Albus!?... And you're-"

" Aria Castelle madame. Pleased to finally meet you. I am Albus's younger sister."

" So... It was you two who did all this? Albus... Were you the one who hurt my son?"

" No... His injuries were caused by Aria. I on the other hand dealt with Ms. Yune over there."

Gai and Tetsu quickly lifted up Maira's body and carried her arms over their shoulders. " We just called out the nurse, all we gotta do is carry her over. Urgh.. Come on Maira.."

" What is the meaning of all this?" Kyoko asked.

" Just another life lesson we thought them Mrs. Hinodama. You should be thanking us."

"Thank you? For putting harm to my son and his best friend?"

"Correct. Whatever we dealt to them is nothing compared to peril that they will face in the DT Grand Championships. This was but a wake up call for them. So please. Bear no animosity towards neither of us or our parents.. It's time to go Albus... Mother is waiting for us."

" Alright then... Farewell Mrs. Hinodama. Please give my regards to your husband... and Ms. Akane as well."

The two mysterious siblings departed into the night. Just as their presence would fade, Kageru suddenly ran and stopped them. Teeth clenched, teary eyed, and fists held tightly he yelled out " Wait right there!... *pant*pant* Urgh... Albus... Aria... I hope you're prepared what's coming! Because the next time we face each other... I'm gonna make you pay! Especially you Albus! You took my sister away from me! And you dare try to take Maira too!? I swear! On my very soul! That on the Red Nova Tournament! You're gonna be the one disappearing! I'll make sure you meet the grave for this! ALBUS!"

"Kageru calm down!" Gai and Tetsu struggled to pull Kageru back as he viciously twisted and charged at the siblings.

" ... What an animal indeed. That oaf still has that much energy left?"

Albus turned and kept walking. "I'll be waiting then... Hoping that you can actually prove that... You have the spirit... yet as weak as you are now, you are no match for me. So I suggest you find some sort of strength before you face me... Otherwise... you won't even get as far as that weak-willed sister of yours."

" *pant*pant*... Urgh!" Kageru began to succumb to his wounds again. His body could not stay any longer than Maira's could.

"KAGERU!"

"N-no!.. I'll be fine..."

" You're coming home right now! Mmmmm... Tetsu, Gai, you have Maira right?"

"Y-yes m'am we have her covered."

"Good... Riski dear, Kell, can you help me carry this idiot son of mine to my car?"

Sugar wouldn't let go of Maira, but Riski picked her up so the boys could carry Maira to the nurse's office while she and a hesitant Kell would carry Kageru.

-at the nurse's office later-

"B-but!"

"It's okay, Sugar. I think we should call your grandparents too. let them know what's happened." Riski suggested. "Isn't your mother coming home soon?"

Sugar wiped some tears from her eyes, "No, her plane got cancelled, she booked for events. but... but still! I don't want to leave Maira! GranGran and Gramps will be home! Just call them, please?"

"Alright, Alright. settle down, now." Riski tried to cheer Sugar up, but tears were coming from her eyes too. she looked worried sick about Maira, but seeing as Kageru looked like he recovered a bit gave her hope. " Could Duel Monsters really hurt people? To this extent? Could that mean.. that... they could possibly... take a life too?' Riski shook her thoughts off and walked to the nurse's office.

"My, my!" the nurse exclaimed, seeing Maira. "Again?! Don't you kids ever learn?" The nurse seemed deepily concerned, expecially after seeing Kageru's condition, she feared Maira was the same. " It's fortunate I decided to work overtime... Whew."

Kell shook his head, "She knew it would be dangerous, didn't she?! why would.. maybe that jerk didn't tell her that danger thing was on! Why I ought-a just-!"

"No! my sis is tough! she probably was close to winning too!" Sugar defended her sister, but looked back on the side of the bed where she was, and sorrowfully touched her sister's face.

"..I agree with Sugar. Maira's usually not as reckless as Kageru, but if she was steamed enough, she would have agreed to anything." Riski added.

Tetsu and Gai both nodded in agreement.

"Now then, are the parents coming?" Asked the nurse, "And did Kageru get taken home?"

"Yes, Ma'am, well, he did. Maira's parents are busy working all the time, but her grandparents are on their way." Riski informed her.

"Oh dear... well, I suppose that will do then." the Nurse took the DT Duel Disk off of Maira's arm, and placed it in her backpack after looking it over. "These things should really be banned." she muttered to herself. "To many kids getting injured for one night already..."